Background: Despite the achievements of the national program for the prevention and control of diabetes (NPPCD) over the past two decades, the available evidence indicates a high prevalence of this disease in Iran. This qualitative study aims to investigate barriers to the NPPCD by pursuing the perspectives of relevant policymakers, planners, and healthcare workers. Methods: A grounded theory approach was used to analyze participants' perceptions and experiences. Semi-structured interviews (n=23) and eight focus groups (n=109) were conducted with relevant policymakers, planners, and healthcare workers in charge of Iran's national diabetes management program. Of the 132 participants, ages ranged from 25 to 56 years, and 53% were female. Constant comparative analysis of the data was conducted manually, and open, axial, and selective coding was applied to the data. Results: Two main themes emerged from data analysis: implementation barriers and inefficient policy-making/planning. Insufficient financial resources, staff shortage and insufficient motivation, inadequate knowledge of some healthcare workers, and defects in the referral system were recognized as the NPPCD implementation barriers. Inappropriate program prioritizing, the lack of or poor intersectoral collaboration, and the lack of an effective evaluation system were the inefficient policy-making/planning problems. Conclusion: Current results highlighted that inefficient policy-making and planning have led to several implementation problems. Moreover, the key strategies to promote this program are prioritizing the NPPCD, practical intersectoral collaboration, and utilizing a more efficient evaluation system to assess the program and staff performance.

Introduction: The current longitudinal study aimed to investigate the association of three stable obesity phenotypes (persistent metabolically healthy normal weight (P MHNW), persistent metabolically healthy obese (P MHO), persistent metabolically unhealthy obese (P MUO)), and one transient (MHO to MUO) obesity phenotype with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) throughout an 18-year period. Methods: 1932 participants (649 men and 1283 women) who completed the HRQoL questionnaire during 2016-2019 were recruited in the current investigation. Based on the body mass index (BMI) and metabolic status, participants were classified into four obesity phenotypes, including 1) P MHNW, 2) P MHO, 3) P MUO, and 4) Transient from MHO to MUO. The HRQoL was compared between groups using analysis of covariance. Participants' age, marital status, occupation status, education level, physical activity, and smoking were adjusted. Results: After adjustment for confounder variables, a significant difference among obesity phenotypes was indicated in PCS scores of both sexes and MCS scores just in women (P value=<0.001). The P MUO had the lowest scores in PCS and MCS, and P MHO had the highest MCS scores compared to other obesity phenotypes in either sex. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate the negative effect of long-term concurrence of obesity and metabolic disorders on the HRQoL of adults. However, long-term obesity alone or loss of metabolic health in the short term did not affect individuals' assessment of their physical and mental health. These findings highlight the importance of preventive interventions in people with obesity; also indicate the need for awareness-raising strategies about healthy lifestyles to improve the quality of life in society.

This study aimed to identify body mass index (BMI) trajectories from childhood and their relationships with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in young adulthood. A total of 687 children aged 4-18 years were recruited from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Throughout 18 years of follow-up, BMI was measured every 3 years for a maximum of 6 data points. Participants completed the depression, anxiety, and stress scale in their young adulthood (aged 22-36). The group-based trajectory modelling was applied to identify BMI patterns. The logistic regression model was used to assess the association between BMI trajectories and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in adulthood. Two BMI trajectories were identified from childhood to young adulthood: healthy weight (HW = 69.6%) and persistent increasing overweight/obesity (PIO = 30.4%). After adjusting for potential confounders, compared with the HW group, men in the PIO group were more likely to experience higher stress levels (OR: 1.62, 95% CI: 0.99-2.63; p = 0.05). No significant association was observed between the PIO trajectory and depression and anxiety among both sexes and stress symptoms in females. Our results highlight that developing overweight and obesity from childhood may be related to increased stress in males.